Apparatus for care of infant

Abstract

Embodiments provide apparatus for care of an infant, the apparatus including a comfort support for returning legs of an infant to fully folded positions relative to the torso.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for care of an infant, the apparatus comprising:
 a lower section having a pouch configured for receiving the legs and lower torso of the infant, wherein the pouch is further configured to: (i) snuggly support each of the legs relative to the lower torso in a fetal tuck position, (ii) stretch when the infant's legs apply a dislocation force to the pouch, and (iii) generate a resistance force that urges the infant's legs back into the fetal tuck position once the dislocation force falls below a threshold value;
 wherein the pouch comprises a pouch front wall section, a pouch bottom, a pouch rear wall section and a comfort support area that extents from the pouch front wall section, around the pouch bottom and up the pouch rear wall section; and 
 wherein the pouch is formed so as to include two discrete layers of a first elastic fabric material, and wherein in the comfort support area, the pouch is further formed of a third discrete layer of a resistance material, which is sandwiched between the two discrete layers of the first elastic fabric material to provide an even greater resistance force; and 
 
 an upper section having an upper fabric panel configured for receiving at least an upper torso of the infant, wherein the upper section comprises a pair of fabric flaps, which are joined to an inner surface of the upper fabric panel above an upper edge of the pouch and configured to wrap around the lower torso of the infant to attach to the upper edge of the pouch. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic fabric material possesses limited elasticity, so that when the infant's legs apply the dislocation force to the pouch, the limited elasticity of the first elastic fabric material helps to generate the resistance force that urges the infant's legs back into the fetal tuck position once the dislocation force falls below the threshold value. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a size and a shape of the pouch are such that when the infant is secured within the apparatus, the first elastic fabric material of the pouch is generally snug against the infant's feet and the sides of the infant's legs when the infant is in the fetal tuck position. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as recited in  1 , wherein the first elastic fabric material comprises a breathable stretch knit fabric. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as recited in  1 , wherein the upper section and the lower section each comprise mating elements of releasable fastener combinations, which cooperate to retain an upper edge of the pouch in substantially the same location along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the pouch is subjected to the dislocation force applied by the infant's legs. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the mating elements of the releasable fastener combinations are selected from a group consisting of a tie, a fastener, a hook and loop material, a button, a zipper a hook, a strap, a buckle, a carabiner, an eyelet, a clip and a pin. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pair of fabric flaps comprise mating elements of releasable fasteners, which are disposed on a first side of the pair of fabric flaps and configured to releasably engage with mating elements of a releasable fastener disposed on the upper edge of the pouch, and wherein when engaged, the pair of flaps are configured to provide primary support for anchoring the upper edge of the pouch in substantially the same location along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the pouch is subjected to the dislocation force applied by the infant's legs. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the upper fabric panel comprises a first wrap section extending outwardly in a first peripheral direction corresponding to a first side of the infant and a second wrap section extending outwardly in a second peripheral direction corresponding to a second side of the infant, and wherein the first and second wrap sections are configured to be wrapped around a front of the infant's torso, such that the second wrap section overlaps the first wrap section. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first wrap section comprises mating elements of a releasable fastener disposed on an inner surface of the first wrap section adjacent to a lower edge of the first wrap section, and wherein when the first wrap section is wrapped around the front of the infant's torso, the mating elements of the releasable fastener disposed on the inner surface of the first wrap section are configured to releasably engage with mating elements of releasable fasteners formed on a second side of the pair of fabric flaps to provide secondary support, which contributes to maintaining the upper edge of the pouch in the substantially same location. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the upper fabric panel is formed from a second elastic fabric material that is stretched when the first and second wrap sections are wrapped around the infant's torso to form a conforming, elastic cocoon that engages and quiets the arms of the infant. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second elastic material comprises a breathable stretch knit fabric. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second elastic material of the upper fabric panel and the first elastic material of the pouch are joined in intimate fixed relationship. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second elastic material of the upper fabric panel and the first elastic material of the pouch are formed of a single piece of common fabric material. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the second wrap section comprises a pair of fabric ears located along an outer edge of the second wrap section, and wherein when the first and second wrap sections are wrapped around the infant's torso such that the second wrap section overlaps the first wrap section, mating elements of releasable fasteners disposed on the pair of fabric ears are configured to releasably engage with mating elements of a releasable fastener disposed on an outer surface of the upper fabric panel to securely close the first and second wrap sections. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first wrap section and the second wrap section each include a respective sleeve for accommodating the arms of the infant. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of open equipment ports, which are sized and positioned to permit monitoring equipment to extend through the apparatus for contacting the infant. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus for care of an infant, the apparatus comprising:
 an upper fabric panel configured for receiving at least an upper torso of the infant, wherein the upper fabric panel is formed from a first elastic material, and wherein the upper fabric panel comprises a first wrap section and a second wrap section, which are configured to wrap around the upper torso of the infant; 
 a pouch having a rear section coupled to the upper fabric panel and a mouth portion configured for receiving the legs and lower torso of the infant, wherein a size and shape of the pouch is configured to support each of the legs relative to the lower torso in a fetal tuck position, wherein the pouch comprises a pouch front wall section, a pouch bottom, a pouch rear wall section and a comfort support area that extends from the pouch front wall section, around the pouch bottom and up the pouch rear wall section, and wherein the pouch is formed so as to include two discrete layers of a second elastic fabric material possessing limited elasticity, so that when the infant's legs apply a dislocation force to the pouch, the limited elasticity of the second elastic material generates a resistance force that urges the infant's legs back into the fetal tuck position once the dislocation force falls below a threshold value, and wherein in the comfort support area, the pouch is further formed of a third discrete layer of a resistance material, which is sandwiched between the two discrete layers of the second elastic fabric material to provide an even greater resistance force; and 
 a plurality of releasable fasteners disposed on the upper fabric panel and on an upper edge of the pouch, wherein when engaged, the plurality of releasable fasteners anchor the upper edge of the pouch in substantially the same location along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the pouch is subjected to the dislocation force applied by the infant's legs. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising a pair of fabric flaps, which are joined to a middle inner surface of the upper fabric panel and configured to wrap around the lower torso of the infant to attach to the upper edge of the pouch. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus as recited in  claim 18 , wherein two of the plurality of releasable fasteners are disposed on a first side of the pair of fabric flaps and configured to releasably engage with a third releasable fastener disposed on the upper edge of the pouch. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , wherein a fourth releasable fastener is disposed on an inner surface of the first wrap section adjacent to a lower edge of the first wrap section, and wherein when the first wrap section is wrapped around the front of the infant's torso, the fourth releasable fastener is configured to releasably engage with a fifth and sixth releasable fasteners formed on a second side of the pair of fabric flaps. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the second wrap section comprises a pair of fabric ears located along an outer edge of the second wrap section, and wherein when the first and second wrap sections are wrapped around the infant's torso such that the second wrap section overlaps the first wrap section, releasable fasteners disposed on the pair of fabric ears are configured to releasably engage with another releasable fastener disposed on an outer surface of the upper fabric panel to securely close the first and second wrap sections. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the first and second elastic fabric materials comprise a breathable stretch knit fabric. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of releasable fasteners comprise soft and flexible hook and loop fasteners.